For many people, Kent might qualify as a perfect place to live, with extensive choice of rural and urban locations, great connectivity to London and Europe, and some of the UK’s most delightful countryside and coast. Housebuilders there are busy in order to match buyer interest.
We take a look at some of the county’s latest new homes news.
Fernham Homes is launching its first show home at the Hillside Park development on Saturday 23 January, situated partly within the conservation area of the small village of Linton near Maidstone, set on the Greensand Ridge with superb views over the Weald of Kent. With the proximity of numerous protected historic buildings, planners wanted something special with this boutique collection of just 13 luxurious four- and five-bedroom detached homes.
The housebuilder and its consultants Clague Architects have risen to this challenge by making creative use of Kentish ragstone, a form of limestone that has been used in the region since Roman times and can be found in many historic buildings, including Rochester, Leeds and Dover Castles, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. Other vernacular architectural features that have been used include dormer windows, reduced eaves, weatherboarding and rendering. This is complemented by modern interior layouts and luxurious specification. On certain plots, it is possible for buyers to design their own interior configuration to suit their particular family needs, as well as to customise the look and style of the kitchen, bathrooms and finishes, as part of Fernham Homes’ Bespoke scheme.
Hillside Park
Paul Rosbrook, operations director at Fernham Homes, said: “On such a superbly located plot, with tremendous views over the countryside, we wanted to create homes that are really special, and fit seamlessly into the village environment of Linton. The use of traditional stone masonry skills, local raw materials and classic Kentish design features has helped us to create a unique, characterful development that sets new standards for housing in the area.”
The new show home has been interior designed by Jane Clayton, and is open by appointment only. Properties currently available at Hillside Park start from £890,000 for a four-bedroom detached home with double garage. Find out more at fernham-homes.co.uk.
in Boughton Monchelsea, Crest Nicholson has introduced a selection of brand new house types at its sought-after Lyewood development to complement the local area’s traditional designs and materials. All homes are set across two storeys, feature flexible layouts and contemporary interiors, integrated appliances and high-quality fixtures and fittings throughout. The home types boast bright and airy open-plan living and dining areas on the ground floor and feature generously sized bedrooms on the first floor.
Lyewood
Karen Coulson, sales and marketing director at Crest Nicholson Eastern, said: “Customers are demanding flexibility within the design of their homes and these new house types at our popular Boughton Monchelsea development deliver exactly this, allowing purchasers to adapt their home to their needs. We are also bringing back two-bedroom houses to Lyewood which have been extremely popular in the past and prove an excellent option for downsizers or first-time buyers alike.”
Two-, three- and four-bedroom homes at Lyewood start from £320,000, £375,000 and £540,000 respectively. Buyers can ask about Help to Buy and Part Exchange schemes Completions are expected to take place from Summer 2021.
The sales and marketing suite are open by appointment only, Thursday to Monday between 10.00am and 5.00pn. Find out more about Lyewood from Crest Nicholson.
In Staplehurst, David Wilson Homes has put the show home up for sale at Dickens Gate. Plot 175 is the four-bedroom detached ‘Holden’, which comes with an open-plan kitchen/dining/family area as the heart of the home, along with a spacious lounge with feature bay window, a study and a utility room on the ground floor. Upstairs are three double bedrooms, a single bedroom and a family bathroom. The main bedroom benefits from its own en suite. The price of £557,995 includes a garage and two parking spaces.
Dickens Gate
It’s a 25-minute drive to Maidstone and 30 minutes to Tonbridge, both offering a wide range of shops, amenities and leisure facilities, while Staplehurst itself has much to offer, including its own station with direct services to London Bridge taking less than an hour.
There’s a range of three- and four-bedroom houses currently for sale here, priced from £345,995 to £604,995. The new Help to Buy scheme will be available on selected plots here for first-time buyers. Find out more about Dickens Gate from David Wilson Homes.
In the heart of the ‘Garden of England’, the village of Biddenden is know for its cider and this quintessential part of Kent is there for residents of The Maltings to enjoy. This is a hamlet-style development by Millwood Designer Homes that comprises 45 homes – a real variety, with from one to six bedrooms.
The housebuilder has been very forward-thinking and with lockdown limiting buyers’ willingness or ability to leave their existing home to visit this development, it has created a number of interactive tours of homes here.
Jon Neville, architect at Millwood Designer Homes, commented: “The proposals for The Maltings were sensitively designed to reflect the character of the local area, with the use of traditional materials and detailing to ensure that the development is of the highest quality. A key part of the design approach was to ensure that the transition of the site towards the existing farmland to the north reflected an agricultural character. These homes have been designed to take their character from traditional agricultural barn forms, incorporating black weatherboarding and large glazed openings. This ensures that the development sits comfortably within the surrounding landscape and provides an important gateway to the scheme.”
Nestled within the Weald of Kent, bordering the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there’s currently a number of three- and four-bedroom houses available from £430,000, and one six-bedroom home priced £1.29million. Help to Buy is available on selected plots. Find out more at www.millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk.
Developer Southern Grove has unveiled an £18million housing development that will create 42 houses, consisting of a mixture of semi-detached and detached family accommodation, as well as 12 apartments. The Willows has been designed by On Architecture in Canterbury and will be situated off Thanet Way, roughly halfway between Whitstable and Herne Bay, and only a five-minute drive from the coast.
Tom Slingsby, CEO of Southern Grove, commented: “Whitstable is a beautiful location on the Kent coast. With wonderful surroundings and less than an hour-and-a-half from London Victoria, this is exactly the kind of location that will benefit from a rise in demand for larger homes outside of London. We’re confident that The Willows will set a high bar for others to follow in terms of design and we look forward to bringing this opportunity forward.”
Find out more at southerngrove.co.uk.
Case study: Fabio and Tina
First-time buyers Fabio Fulchini and Tina Bonakdar decided that Saxon Fields, Pentland Homes’ development in Canterbury offered everything they were looking for used Help to Buy to purchase their home there.
Tina, a senior scientist at a pharmaceutical company, and Fabio, a consultant engineer, were already based in Canterbury and decided the time was right for them to get on the property ladder, living close to amenities but with the charm of country living.
Tina said: “As first-time buyers, we wanted to ensure we looked around a range of developments, which is what we did before booking to view at Saxon Fields. We were so impressed with the quality we’d get for our money in comparison to other developments we’d seen, so we reserved our house the same afternoon.
“When we went to view Saxon Fields the Pentland Homes team were really organised and explained the buying process with Help to Buy so clearly. We were really surprised that some of the standard features in a Pentland Homes house, such as USB-plugs, shaver sockets and underfloor heating, were part of the upgrade package in other developments we’d seen.”
Fabio and Tina purchased the ‘Harrogate’ three-bedroom house type with two parking spaces, large garden and garage. Fabio commented: “One of my favourite things about the house when we first viewed it, was the open-plan layout and how modern the design was. The unique art deco external façade mixed with the contemporary interior is really attractive.
“I love how the kitchen and spacious lounge are connected; it’ll be great for when we’re allowed to have friends round again. One of the best features about the ground floor for me has to be the beautiful bi-folding doors off the lounge out into the garden.
“Even though the development has a wonderful natural setting, it is also strategically located. It is only a few minutes from Canterbury city centre, close to amenities, such as supermarkets and shops and a short journey to our places of work.”
Two- and three-bedroom properties at Saxon Fields are available from £347,000. Find out more about Saxon Fields from Pentland Homes.
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